The Four *rewriting

Shit Really Starts to Get Interesting

Freya

The streets were full of the same blank stares. Faces covered by shadows. All wondering mindlessly in the crowd. Lost in their own head, not bothering to figure out the others among them. I turn a corner, following the actions of everyone around me. Moving in a mindless daze, brooding over my current teenage tragedy. Stephen, my best friend, was forcing me to attend some kegger tonight. Normally we'd spend our evenings indoors being loners together. Enjoying the comfort of our solitude but tonight he found it necessary to have us out into the ever dangerous and annoying world.

I past our local fire station, San Diego Fire Rescue, and get a wave from Jim. His crinkled eyes beaming at me as he brushed at the cement outside his little haven. Specks of dust floating around him as he made no progress. The gezzer was content though. "Freya, where you off to in such a hurry? Don't wanna come in and help straighten up?" He offered with a wink.

I laughed and shook my head, "As fun as that sounds, I have a prior engagement to attend." I said with a smile. Jim was one of the older firefighters at the station. His light blue eyes with little smile wrinkles on the corners made him inviting and warm. I'd never tell him this, but he had always been my favorite. He gained a soft spot in my heart with the way he comforted me after Sam's, my uncle, passing.

"Well, I suppose I'll just have to do the laundry on my own then, huh?" He huffs as I give him a mock frown and nodded.

"I suppose so. So sorry," I said sadly. He grins and continues his sweeping. With a giggle and wave, I start to carry on down the street, when Jim stops me once more.

"Oh, and happy birthday, Darling." Jim calls. I nod my head as a thank you and walked away.

I was a volunteer at SDFR. I would sweep and dust---correctly. Occasionally, I would copy the schedule onto the whiteboard for Jim. Basically, I would do everything but go to an actual burning building. I guess one could say I was their very own personal assistant. It didn't bother me, though. One day I knew it would be me rescuing those in need. A solider fighting the war against tragedy.

There was just something about fire that just fascinates me. The way the flames simply play on air. Whipping its danger in everyones faces. Waiting for a challenge. Ever since I was little, I would test out its hot warning with matches or lighters. Just watching the flames dance. And it was something that drove my adoptive mother insane.

I was adopted by the worst women to ever disgrace the earth with her presence. Amber, the step mom from hell, was engaged to my uncle. Uncle Sam had custody of me. I was a burden he welcomed with open arms. My mom was a weak woman who allowed her "special" needle to raise higher than me on her priority list. After her prize possession landed her in a grave, I was alone. I had no idea who my father was, making half of my identity is a complete mystery. I was going to be put into the system without a doubt until Sam decided I didn't deserve that fate.

So, Sam took me in. He made me feel apart of his family. As though I lived there all my life. He was the man I called Dad even if he wasn't my biological father. Sam also ran his own diner, Sam's Place. I loved it there. The laughter and energy is still something I try to remember. The happiest years of my life were. Then he died in a car crash. One moment he was kissing my cheek and running off to a football game and the next I was in a hospital crying for the one person that loved me to come back.

After that my life simply never truly recovered. The days have limped by treacherously and all I could do is suffer through them. To keep up her good reputation, Amber, Sam's fiance, adopted me and took over the diner. She has practically ignored me my whole life ever since. I've always figured she couldn't stop seeing me as a reminder of the man who loved her and then left her. The resentment she had towards me due to that simply drove us apart. Our once close relationship died in the same instant she lost him. And soon rot in its place.